Seven Archetype: Inversion
distress signal: avoid difficulty
Archetype SEVEN is part of the Social triad.
The Archetypes in this triad form the foundation for Mental Belonging.
All Archetypes will invert when there’s a fracture in the felt sense of belonging.
Within the Human Octave, the energies of Archetype Seven invert when you evade life’s difficulties. By avoiding the unpleasant aspects of reality, you disconnect from Social Belonging and merely skim the surface of life. In trying to avoid temporary discomfort, you sidestep the longer-lasting pleasures of relating and being alive.
When Archetype Seven is disconnected from belonging, your fear is elusive and the thought of being trapped by unpleasant consequences makes it difficult to commit to any choice. This indicates that you are at the threshold of greater depth, which requires trust. If expansion is what you seek, can you tolerate some discomfort in order to expand and deepen your joy?
Practice: Making Space for Joy
Duration: 6–8 minutes
Intention: Compassionately meet discomfort
Step 1 – Name the Avoidance (2–3 min)
Sit quietly and bring to mind a person, situation, or feeling you’ve been avoiding.
Say silently: “I am safe enough to see and feel what’s here for me.”
Step 2 – Breathe Into the Edges (2–3 min)
Become aware of tension in your body—jaw, chest, low back, shoulders, etc.
Gently place one or both hands on the place of tension.
Let your breath meet that tension on the inside, while your hands meet the tension on the outside.
Imagine that your hands, your breath, and your awareness—together—are generating safety and light.
Step 3 – Choose One Brave Step (2 min)
Ask yourself: “What is one step I can take to meet what I’ve been avoiding?”
Whisper: “I trust myself to meet life fully.”
Optional Journal Prompts:
“A hidden cost of my avoidance is…”
“If I turned toward this instead of away, I might discover…”
When you consider the Inversion of Archetype Seven, it may be helpful to review the Soul Octave, Nature Octave, and (un-inverted) Human Octave to help you align with this Archetype’s innate expression of belonging.
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